During the congress from August 16 to 17, 1945, leaders hoped to decide the fate of the nation. Sixty representatives from the north, central and southern regions attended. They issued a general order for Viet Nam to seize its country back from colonial forces.

Addressing the modern-day meeting, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said the Tan Trao Congress was a historical, revolutionary event, reflecting the strong solidarity across the nation at that decisive moment.

The event was also evidence of the determination to eliminate colonial and feudal regimes, laying the first legal foundation for the new administration, he said. The congress was one of the Party's and President Ho Chi Minh's greatest successes.

Based on decisions made during the congress, Vietnamese people rose up and emerged victorious in the August Revolution. Later, on September 2 of the same year, President Ho Chi Minh delivered the declaration of independence in Ha Noi's Ba Dinh Square, introducing the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam.

Chairman Hung said that throughout the 13 tenures of the NA since the Tan Trao Congress nearly 70 years ago, the legislative body has changed its operations to meet the demands of varying periods of revolution.

As a supreme body representing the people, the NA has passed five constitutions and made decisions on major national issues, he said. The Tan Trao congress is an invaluable historical lesson that can be applied to the national renovation, as well as current NA aspirations.

Hung emphasised that in this phase of development, the Party and people were determined to stay united and overcome difficulties and challenges, taking the country to a new level and giving people a happy, wealthy future. Following the meeting, the NA chairman and many incumbent and former State and NA leaders visited a number of revolutionary families in Son Duong Commune, where President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap stayed during the August Revolution.

Memorial site

On Saturday, the National Assembly (NA) Office handed management duties for a memorial site belonging to the NA Standing Board in the northern province of Tuyen Quang's Trung Yen Commune over to local authorities.

The site was built in 2006 for the 60th anniversary of the first general election. Then in 2010, the NA built a 2,000sq.m exhibition space on the site grounds with a memorial and small museum house.

The house itself is 300 square metres, with 66 artefacts, 255 photos and other materials showing the history of the NA and its Standing Board in the Viet Bac military zone during the first days of the anti- French resistance war.

In 1952, the NA Standing Board chose Dong Ma Village in Trung Yen Commune as its headquarters. A number of key meetings were held there, with President Ton Duc Thang presiding.

A handover ceremony was held Saturday was to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the National People's Congress, the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2).

Gold symbols

President Truong Tan Sang yesterday attended the 2015 Viet Nam Glory Programme in Ha Noi. The event was one of many activities held to celebrate the coming August Revolution anniversary.

This year the programme, which has existed for a decade, honoured 10 outstanding collectives and individuals in national construction and defense. President Sang and former Party leader Le Kha Phieu presented gold symbols of the Viet Nam Coat of Arms to Ngoc Hien District in Ca Mau Province, Mong Cai in Quang Ninh Province, the Hoang Sa Island District of Da Nang, the Truong Sa Island District of Khanh Hoa Province and Ha Noi. — VNS